As a method for producing an article having a microstructure such as an optical device, a so-called imprinting method (a nano imprinting method) is known wherein a mold having a reverse structure corresponding to such a microstructure formed on its surface, is pressed against a resin material to form the microstructure on the surface of the resin material.
In the mold (hereinafter referred to as an imprinting mold) to be used for such an imprinting method, a coating layer made of a release agent is formed on the surface of the mold body in order to improve the release properties of the resin material from the mold after forming such a microstructure. As such a release agent, a compound of the following formula (2) is known (Patent Document 1):C3F7(OCF2CF2CF2)pOC2F4C2H4—Si(OCH3)3  (2)wherein p is an integer of at least 1.
However, a coating layer made of such a release agent is inadequate in the adhesion to the mold body and is likely to be peeled from the surface of the mold body. Thus, such an imprinting mold has problems such that the useful life is short, and when such an imprinting mold is employed, it is not possible to produce an article having a microstructure with good productivity.
Patent Document 1: JP-A-2002-283354 (Example 1)